Flick the Abacus
by CoyKit
Summary: Four friends, two sparks, and a love triangle that will shake the O.Z.
1. I Feel Like a Hero and You’re My Heroine

Ok, My first fic... EVER... So please don't burn me... but feel free to leave flames... and please critique.

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Disclaimer;; I don't own Tin Man... But I wouldn't mind owning Glitch and Wyatt...

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It was over. The Wicked Witch of the West had fallen. DG couldn't believe it. She had defeated the Witch… with the help of her friends, of course.

Spinning slightly, she watched them walk out onto the terrace, Glitch with that reassuring smile of his, and Raw shyly kneading his hands.

Instinctively, it seemed, she turned to Cain. She could see him trying fitfully to maintain composure.

_Maybe he was hurt?_

Moving forward and resting her hand on his shoulder DG felt Cain stiffen even more under her touch then more still as she half hugged him. _That's to be expected, though, not like he's a physical man._ DG concluded, letting go. She smiled half heartedly up at him.

Beside him was Raw who was still nervously glancing around the plateau at Azkadellia. "It's alright. She's fine now." DG whispered, giving Raw a tight embrace and watching him give his warm smile that could brighten a room.

She turned then to _Glitch, erm, Ambrose now_, she supposed.

With his wild hair, zipper partly opened, and his lop-sided smile… he's still Glitch.

_'He could never get rid of that goofy smile… even if he tried.'_ She thought fondly.

Glitch raised his eyebrows questioningly. "I know you're not forgetting _me_." He smirked in that snarky way of his. Laughing, DG through herself into his open arms. Squeezing him tightly DG felt him shaking slightly.

"We'd better head down" Queen Lavender said walking through the doors. "Make sure the O.Z. is still in one peace" Ahamo agreed ushering Az out. Glitch loyally followed them out, thinking DG was going with them… but her eyes were focused on Cain. Glitch turned around; shocked that he was the only one walking away. "DG?" he asked, turning everyone's attention to her.

Wide eyed, DG walked up to Cain's right shoulder. "You were shot." she whispered wide-eyed.

Gazing distractedly down at his shoulder; "It's nothing, princess." He said indifferently, giving a desperate look at the door. He didn't need her to see him in anguish; He was always the protector not the weakling.

"Nothing?" She asked gazing hard with a furrowed brow at the hole in his coat that was slowly seeping blood into the material. She looked desperately at Raw. "Can you help him?" Cain heaved a great sigh, "You don't--"

"Please." DG interjected. Obediently Raw walked up to Cain as he rolled his eyes beneath his hat. "Raw can't heal over bullet"

"You could use your magic, DG, to remove the bullet..." Glitch said wondering closer, receiving a glare from Cain. DG gazed up at Cain with her guarded expression. "Fine, kid." He relented. "Knock yourself out." He said, gesturing to his shoulder.

Trying to focus her energy onto the lesion, her mind twisted around it in every direction… but her psyche couldn't grasp onto it. DG just couldn't get through to the bullet.

"Erm..." DG's face contorted questioningly, poking at the jacket. "Yes?" Cain raised his brows. "You… err… need to remove your jacket so I can have contact with the bullet." She blushed.

Slowly and eyeing her wearily, he slid off his trench coat and unbuckled his holster giving her better access to the wound. Hearing Glitch give an exasperated sigh and turning away in annoyance at Cain. "The shirt too, pretty boy." He said sarcastically, rolling his eyes in aggravation.

Shyly glancing around the room "DG… I'll get this fixed later" He whispered awkwardly. "Do you want it to get infected or not!" She said petulantly.

Finally submitting, he unbuttoned his shirt down to his naval, giving her enough access to his shoulder.

Softly, as to not exacerbate his wound, DG's fingers numbly touch his collar bone.

In the background, Glitch's breath seemed to be stolen directly from his lungs. Why couldn't he breathe? What was wrong with him? Had one of his synapses disconnected?

Slowly, DG began to peel back the collar to Cain's shirt and Glitch felt like he had been cut open again. This time the zipper would appear down his chest. Glitch's mind was convinced that if he looked down he would see his clothes stained red but he was transfixed on one thing… DG's innocent glance up at Cain's face.

DG was calculating Cain's reaction, but his eyes were completely focused on a random object across in room.

Eventually, his shirt was hanging off his shoulder; I successfully managed that without causing him any significant hurt, she thought proudly.

"Alright, this may hurt." She said warning him. "Do your worst, Princess." He said catching her glance. It seemed to take a couple minutes but DG looked away, blushing. Standing up to her full height, she raised her hands flat to his shoulder, taking a second to feel the velvet-like flesh beneath her finger tips. _'So much for rough around the edges'_ DG thought, sarcastically. After regaining her focus on Cain's wounded shoulder a silvery light protruded from her palm.

Cain growled as he could feel the bullet circulating in his body. Gritting his teeth and clenching his fists, he made no other indication that he was suffering.

Glitch felt a guilty pleasure of sadistic joy at watching Cain suffer. Glitch would have gladly taken that bullet for DG, _'But noooo'_ his half-a-mind teased him._ 'Cain always has to be the hero.' _Glitch thought glaring at him.

With a sudden lurch, the bullet was released from its lodging in Cain's shoulder. Hunching over briefly like he was just relinquished from a vice grip, Cain hissed in brief anguish, yet regained his composer quickly. Straightening himself, he shifted his eyes form DG to Raw.

DG backed away and let Raw heal him. As Raw closed his eyes with his hands over Cain's wound, now… DG swore if she looked intently she could see the strings of flesh entwining together and pulling the wound closed.

_'Gross'_ she shuddered.

As the last strings crossed, Cain let out his breath that he had apparently been holding, stifling the sting.

"Better?" DG asked.

"Y-eah" Cain stuttered slightly out of breath, his chest heaving, staring her down.

Glitch glared moodily around the room, like a child neglected... "Can we go now?" He asked slightly frustrated.

DG's attention snapped to Glitch "Yeah. Sure." She glanced back to Cain and rested her hand on his arm. "You're alright?" Seeing him nod, she thanked Raw for his help.

Hearing Glitch's aggrandized sigh, she turned to him with an impish grin then lightly sauntered over to him and guided him to the door. "Finally" Glitch over-exaggeratedly drawled.

DG pushed him playfully yet roughly through the door but Glitch locked both hands onto the door frame and refused to move. Laughing and smiling broadly at her childish antics as she tried stubbornly to push him through... But he was stronger than her.

Finally giving up, DG stomped her foot childishly. Laughing a deep uncharacteristic-Glitch laugh he playfully slung his arm around her shoulder, pranced out the door and practically skipped down the stair-well.


	2. I Should Go

Disclaimer;; I don't own Tin Man... But I wouldn't mind owning Glitch and Wyatt... In a dark room... With whips... OK!! To the storyy!

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((Oh Yeah... I'm still figuring out how to work Fanfiction as an author... so help me out.))

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"DG?" Cain asked, stopping their group midway on the stairwell... All three of them turned to look up at him.

"Yes?" She answered with inquisitive eyes.

"I need to speak with you." He said locking eye contact. "It's important." He added after Glitch scoffed.

Both Glitch and Raw threw glares his way, anything he could say to DG, he could say in front of them.

DG smiled at them, placing her calming hands on their shoulders. "Don't worry guys I'll catch up." She said gesturing down to where Az and their parents were.

Watching them walk, DG couldn't help but ponder what could be on Cain's mind 'Must be important if he's not willing to hold it over Glitch.'

Looking at him with interested eyes… she patiently waited his news.

"Listen kid, I have to cut this short, but I thought you should know." He said shifting his glance to anything but her face.

Heaving a sigh, his eyes finally settled on her. "Now that Azkadellia is back to normal, I think…" His gaze shifted again. "I think I should go." He finally spit out as he started to toy with the lining on his jacket.

"Go?" DG asked startled. "But the Witch has _just_ fallen, Cain. Don't make such a hasty decision." She implored.

"I can't stay where I'm not needed." He said abruptly skirting around her, making his move down the stair well. This conversation was finished in his opinion… Well… at least he was being half honest with himself; he wanted to end the conversation because he couldn't stand the pleading look on DG's face.

"Cain" She said grabbing his arm. "Your one of my best friends, you're always going to be needed. You're not just some random body guard." She said with a laugh. "That just came with you being an overprotective, no-fun kinda guy" She jested. After a moment of silence a light seemed to flicker in DG's head. "Why don't you stay and do just that, Cain. Why not officially become my body guard, ya know… For the princess? There are still many evils out there; witches, rebellious longcoats… young suitors." DG quipped.

Cain's eyes widened. 'That's right.' He realized. 'She's royalty now.' He had to protect her against all the stuffed shirts that would want to bed her for her credibility. All the 'strapping young-idiots'. He thought rolling his eyes.

"Alright." Came his slow reply.

"Yes!" DG squealed while bouncing. Without warning she pounced into Cain's arms, squeezing the life out of him.

It soon hit her that she was hugging him, hugging the broad shouldered, constantly frowning Tin Man.

Just as Cain was about to reciprocate her hug, just as his hands had grazed the leather on her jacket, she pulled away. Blushing madly, she mumbled a hardly audible:

"…Sorry…"

After a moment or two of her mentally punching herself in the face, she asked timidly. "So… You're staying?" 'Stupid, Stupid, Stupid.' She berated herself in her head.

"If my princess commands it, so shall it be." He said bowing

_'A bit over dramatic'_ DG thought... but worth the evident smirk on Cain's face..

DG could see a thought cross his mind by the way his facial features shifted. "Jeb." He said, clearing his throat. "I should check up on him before I talk to your parents, make sure he's okay."

"I'll talk to them in the meantime." DG hurridly offered; Hardly containing the ecstatic feeling she had that he'd be returning.

His eyes were warm for a second… Then without warning gaze become slightly shielded and he gripped her into a vice hug.

Even after a moment or two Cain refused to let go, but DG didn't mind… She'd have to be without him for a month. That's the longest she'd ever been without him, here in the O.Z.

Finally after a long, drawn out sigh, he finally let go, Resigning himself to defeat… readying himself for not seeing her for a whole lunar cycle.

DG watched Glitch out of the corner of her eye, poking his head out of the door frame to check on them, they had been gone for a while but before DG could reassure Glitch that she would be right there, before she was arms length of Cain, he grabbed the back of her neck and connected his lips to her forehead. It was so unexpected, so not like Cain… more like what she would expect from... Wyatt, her mind whispered... DG's insides melted.

Glitch's mind was frozen, his tongue felt like lead and he knew if he opened his mouth he'd get sick… But inside his heart was on fire… How _dare_ he kiss her… He had no right – no right! EVER!

_'H-he was old!_'... Well, you're almost as old as he is.  
_'He was a Tin Man!'_ You were the Royal Advisor.  
_'Cain has a son!'_ You can never remember anything.  
_'Cain… Cain isn't me'_ Glitch finally confessed in his head…

Cain was quick to make his leave after that. Heading down the stairs and out the front doors. Unknowingly followed by the darkest and most menacing of glares Glitch could ever give. Still burning a hole through the steel doors even after Cain had exited… a look of murder evident on his face.

Upon hearing the doors snap shut DG was brought back to reality and noticed Glitch was still at the bottom of the stairwell. 'Oh, god. Glitch saw, Glitch saw, Glitch saw.'

Blushing scarlet, DG unsuccessfully tried to calmly walk to the stairs at a steady pace, look like nothing was out of the ordinary, and not stumble over her feet. (Which were as numb as the rest of her.)

"Glitch?" She called out as she reached the bottom. DG lightly touched his shoulder.

He jumped as if he'd be bitten by her touch. "DG?" He gave her a rather confused look. "H-how long have I been here?" He asked looking around wildly…

"Erm… Just a while, Glitch, Cain was just saying goodbye" DG's eyes narrowed slightly as she ventured on how much he remembered.

"Oh." He said smiling broadly. Suddenly his face grew far more serious. "Oh." He repeated darkly.

DG's heart sank… 'Well, nothing really happened.' She reasoned with herself… 'I have no reason to feel guilty.'

Glitch tried fervently to smile. Even though it came off pained and forced he offered her his arm, regardless, and led her into the foyer with as much confidence as he could muster. Upon making her entry DG realized, This would be the beginning of an entirely new life for her... her family... and her friends.


End file.
